19-year-old man is facing multiple felony charges consisting of identity theft, and 20 others have been charged with misdemeanors after an alleged fraud against a car rental company targeted by scammers who utilized a mobile app to take off with luxury vehicles, which included dozens of Mercedes-Benz cars.
Angelo Patterson, 19, from the 500 block of West Washington Boulevard, was charged with having a counterfeit credit or debit card; aggravated identity theft of no less than three individuals, including one who is above 60 years old; and modifying a credit or debit card, all of which are felonies, police stated.
Furthermore, Patterson was charged with driving on a suspended license, resisting or obstructing an enforcement officer, criminal trespass to a vehicle and failure to obey a stoplight.
The other 20, at least five of whom are females, were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass to automobiles.
Police identified the individuals as: Jermaine Greene, 19; Brandon Campbell, 21; Lee Williams, 25; Kordeluis Moore, 21; Orlando Smith, 21; Ron Streeter, 34; Antonio Williams, 40; Marlando Hampton, 33; Ramone Brooks, 26; Torian Johnson, 25; Sedrick Body, 25; Alexander Bryant, 24; Marquiez Sanders, 20; Timothy Lewis, 30; Mark Gray, 20; Lynette Franklin, 33; Terra Nixon, 19; Tatiana Dunning, 21; Varlelle Edwards, 23; and Anasia Johnson, 29.
The rental company, Car2Go, stated some of its vehicles, particularly, Mercedes-Benz, may have been taken through misleading practices, the statement said.
All the license plates on the Mercedes associated with the incident began with AX9, police stated.
A Car2Go spokesman stated previously this week that the company was temporarily stopping its service in Chicago for the time being.
As of Wednesday, around 100 vehicles were unaccounted for, and it was thought that at least 50 of the Mercedes-Benzes remain in the Chicago area, police stated.
